I Need Your Help

[drz]

P0422: Main Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1)

That is what my OBD read this afternoon when I was on my way to church. Right after church, I went to AutoZone and had the code read.

From what I understand, this basically means that the oxygen sensor downstream of the catalytic converter on bank 1 is detecting that the converter is not working as efficiently as it should be (according to specs).

From reading online, I have learned taht these are the things I should be checking for:

- Catalytic converter defficiency
- Engine misfire
- Vacuum leak
- Oil leak into exhaust valve
- Oxygen sensors

Please help me out by telling me how to test for each of these things. I have a Bentley manual, but I have not gone into this problem in detail yet. I'll be out of the country for a couple of weeks, so please reply even if it seems like I no longer care. I will keep you up to date (and will come back and bump this thread a few times while I am gone).

I read somewhere that the simplest solution is to reset the code and see if it comes back. That doesn't make much sense to me. What do you think?

Thank you

- Daniel

[drz]

How bad will it be if I drive my car like this? (I am going to drive it as little as possible).

I will check the O2 sensors and catalytic converter tomorrow at work. I hope it does not go beyond that.

[Furious]

let us know what you find, im currious as to what it could be, really hard to diagnose those codes because they give you so many variables to check or consider. however the most common thing that would be assosicated with this problem is the O2.

[Dudesky_E36]

Could be a fluke. Any number of minor passing things can set off an erroneous code. Reset it and see if it returns.

[drz]

Can they reset it for me at Autozone? (I iwll still check the O2 sensors)

Dudesky, I have the same keychain you have in your avatar

[camnipotent]

Yes....and I used to have that keychain as well, until my bimmer keys decided to crawl out of my backpack during a float trip...not pretty.

[Dudesky_E36]

Ha ha . . I wish mine was a "5" or "6" instead

[BImmerN2B]

MAYBE YOU CAN GET IT AT THE STEALER FOR $30 SERIOUS BUCKS

[drz]

I don't remember how much mine cost. I think it was $18.